$162,000 Grant Awarded to Contra Costa County Probation Department

The Contra Costa County Probation Department is keeping their eyes on high-risk DUI offenders, thanks to a grant from the Office of Traffic Safety.

The following information is from the CoCo County Probation Department:

Felony and repeat misdemeanor DUI offenders are over represented in traffic crashes involving alcohol and other drugs, often with tragic results. A $162,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to the Contra Costa County Probation Department will be making sure that these worst-of-the-worst offenders are complying with all court orders.

Chief Probation Officer Philip Kader indicated “We are appreciative of this opportunity to focus on those most serious offenders who choose to disregard public safety. The Probation Department remains committed to actively collaborating with our justice system partners to protect our communities.”

The grant will fund officers to intensely monitor drivers on probation for felony DUI or multiple misdemeanor DUI convictions. Supervision for these high-risk offenders will include unannounced home searches, random alcohol and drug testing and monitoring to ensure compliance with court-ordered DUI education and treatment programs.

The Intensive Probation Supervision for High-Risk Felony and Repeat DUI Offenders grant is aimed at reducing the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol and other drug related collisions in the county. In 2010, 20 were killed and 455 injured in such crashes in Contra Costa County.

The Contra Costa County Probation Department will also collaborate with other local law enforcement agencies to conduct DUI/Driver license checkpoints and warrant service operations targeting individuals who fail to make court appearances after DUI arrests.

Drunk driving is one of America’s deadliest crimes. In 2011, nationally 9,778 people died in highway crashes involving a driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. In California, the number killed was 774, with over 24,000 seriously injured.

Funding for the grant is from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Is this the same probation department whose due diligence let people like Phillip garrido kidnap, and hold hostage an 11 yr old girl right under their noses until UC Berkeley police figured out his true ways? Great…this will be money well wasted.

I think this is one of the better program, granted this is only a few(at most) salaries, but it should do well. Use the funds for campaigns and all of the attributes that are required that will be money well spent.

Thsnks for your knowledge. You forgot thst UC Berkeley got the ball rolling which is why they deserve credit and you also forgot to mention that law enforcement had been out there before on complaints of girls living under tarps but they missed it too. Anymore we can add?

CCC Probation Dept. is a huge joke. Lots of biscuits and doughboys/girls running around the office there, and nobody is excluded!!! The real cops are in uniform, not in old man polyester suits waddling around who can’t even do one pull-up. Pathetic

Is DUI the only crime being committed in this county? You would think so with all this $$ going towards it. I know before you say anything it’s Grant money but I think maybe you could work it so you could go after other more serious offenders.
I’m not saying DUI’s aren’t serous offenses I’m saying there are some that are possibly more serious that need some extra attention paid to as well.

UC Berkeley got the ball rolling, and for that we give them credit. However I think they knew he was a registered sex offender and left a message with State Parole. In retrospect, they probably should not have left him leave with those girls. Had he bailed, we probably have never known what happened.

I wasn’t there and dont know all the facts re why UC PD let him go, though.

@Jets
For serious offenders, it’s not just going to be the probation officer knocking at the door. There will be the Sheriffs department for backup. Those are the ones who dont play. No sense of humor, or tolerance for bs.

Obvious Jets has been on probation a few times…………So when they come knocking don’t answer the door.
Actually most with DUI warrants are also wanted for other things as well. Kind of a one stop shopping type program.
Bill #28 – you are correct about the texting but sadly it’s really is hard to “see” people while they are doing it………Personally I think that if caught texting while driving should result in a 1 year suspension of a persons DL and 25% increase on auto insurance for 3 years straight out of the gate. It might just get the point across……….But no……………..to many idiots think it is their “right” to endanger others.